INQUIRER Sports

Filipino pool icon Efren ?Bata? Reyes continues to put the Philippines on the global map.

This after the United States Billiard Media Association (USBMA) named the 55-year-old Reyes as its Player of the Decade, beating fellow former world champions Johnny ?The Scorpion? Archer of the United States, Mika ?The Iceman? Immonen of Finland and Ralf ?Kaiser? Souquet of Germany in voting.

The Angeles City, Pampanga-native Reyes, the top player of Puyat Sports who was also inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall (BCA) Hall of Fame in 2003, earned nearly $1.7 million in prize money in the decade according to the report of Azbilliards. That excludes the $47,500 he earned as overall champion of the recent 12th Annual Derby City Classic in Indiana.

?He (Efren) is an inspiration to the Filipinos,? said Reyes long-time benefactor sportsman/ businessman Aristeo ?Putch? Puyat.

Reyes won more than 20 major men?s professional pool titles during the decade, starting with his $30,000 Camel Pro 8-Ball Championship win in 2000. Of his 22 major victories, the versatile Reyes won four one-pocket crowns, four 8-ball titles and 15 9-ball titles. He also won the Derby City All- Around title five times.

Reyes is also the first Filipino to win the prestigious World Pool (9-ball) Championships tiara in 1999 in Cardiff, Wales. He also took the World 8-ball title in 2004 in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

He scored his biggest win in the International Pool Tour (IPT), where he bagged two titles (2005 IPT King of the Hill and 2006 IPT North American Open worth $765,000.

In the distaff side, Allison Fisher of Great Britain was also named Player of the Decade, defeating compatriot Karen Korr and Jasmin Ouschan of Austria for the coveted plum.